The Tailor of Enbizaka/円尾坂の仕立屋
In Enbizaka, one young woman runs a shop
Bearing a flair for tailoring rarely come across
Sharper than sharpened scissors, and seeming beyond the seams
She’s called the envy of all the community*
Surely she’d be perfect if not for her partner’s acts
That sole thing holding her back cheats behind her back
“Even with somebody like me fastened by an oath,
He’d rather lie with and lie that he’s coming home!”**
But as always, “Concentrate” I say and stay working
Scissors clutched tightly while I cut deep into the deed
Mother’s blades I’ve trained to raise as right as she raised me,
Sharpen them well and they’ll sweep cleaner to your needs
In Enbizaka, the hush has become routine
For spending yet another morning conformed in peace
Then I saw him on the street, gleaming with delight
Who might she be, the lady I see standing at your side?
Beautiful and prim with a crimson kimono on,
Like I’d expect, you’re friendly with everything you’d ever want
Viewing the two at ease left me desperate to get away
I hurried home, growing urge to forsake the trade
But as always, “Concentrate” I say and stay working
Scissors clutched tightly while I cut deep into the deed
Toiling on and spoiling not those sorry drops of sorrow,
I seat the kimono and sew freshly fixed clothes
Stuck with a budding rumor, the public’s all abuzz
Word is last night a crime occurred, wonder what it was?
Following him to the bridge offered me an awful sight
Who might she be, the lady I see standing at your side?
Strangely, today he frowned, but I doubt that he’ll drown in pain
Not with that pretty haired woman coming to his aid
Fine like the emerald obi tied tightly ‘round her waist,
Ah, she’s the dream of a girl suited to your taste
But as always, “Concentrate” I say and stay working
Scissors clutched tightly while I cut deep into the deed
Wiping at my reddened eyes, I’d benefit to quit that
Grabbing the obi, I refashion the sash
Seems like our little village is starting to come undone
Guess that there’s been a second crime, wonder where it was?
I saw him at the hairpin shop with the reason why
Who might she be, the lady I see standing at your side?
“Maybe it isn’t so”, I think, noting how young she is
Though, that golden hairpin he buys implies a gift
You’d prefer a girl like her, even at that age?
You’d sooner have her than your wife, have you any shame?
But as always, “Concentrate” I say and stay working
Scissors clutched tightly while I cut deep into the deed
How odd, were my scissors always covered in this color?
No concern, I must return to my hard work
Once a draft and at last complete,
I’ve created a masterpiece
You won’t show, but I know you just need a bit of help
Please be patient as I leave to find you myself
(”Scissors, not scissor” my mother would say to me,
“Like a man and his wife, teamed for eternity”)***
The crimson kimono, and emerald obi,
Go perfect with this golden pin, I put each on and beam
Those presents present you with a woman unbeatable
Don’t you love it? Aren’t I beautiful?
...Sounds like our simple town was brought down to its knees
Somebody has killed a man, wonder what it means
Luckily, there’s no grief from his happy family
Tragically, each has died in the crime of the century
Yes, it’s a tad sad, but more so are the things he said
“Hello” and “I don’t think we’ve met”, just what went through his head
Treating me like somebody he had never seen,
Treating me like somebody he’d never seen?!
But as always, “Concentrate” I say and stay working
Scissors clutched tightly while I cut deep into the deed
Even if these scissors have a habit for bleeding,
Sharpen them well and they’ll sweep cleaner to your needs
Notes:
1. “Envy of the community”, I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to put in a bit of foreshadowing.
2. “Lie with” = Having sex with other woman.
3. Just an adlib I put in there. It’s essentially some of the flashing text in the PV but with a sung version.
